Hanoi fails to deal with abandoned land                                   Hanoi authorities set a target to settle the issue of many land plots left idle or used for wrong purposes over the past years, but to date they have still failed to control the problem.   Many land plots in Hanoi left unused for years In mid-2012, the Hanoi People’s Committee found violations at 32 local land plots in the four districts of Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Tay Ho and Tu Liem, covering a total area of 488,545 square metres, used by 23 investors. Among those, more than 15 plots remain unused with a total area of 309,368 square metres, while 10 others are used illegally as parking lots, restaurants, garages and mini football grounds. The list of violators includes Vietnam Construction and Import-Export Joint Stock Corporation (Vinaconex), Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUD); Hanoi Construction and Investment Joint Stock Company No2. (Hacinco) and Song Da Corporation and a number of others. After a range of delayed projects, the municipal authorities have asked districts to deal with land violations. However, over the past year, many of the plots given for projects remain as they were, covered by wild grass. Many of the plots in Hanoi are used for restaurants and parking lots. Along Pham Hung Street in Cau Giay District and Tu Liem District there are dozens of plots listed among those to be revoked. Many land plots covering thousands of square metres in Tay Ho District were auctioned, but were left idle for many years. Ba Dinh District has at least nine projects left idle for many years, including a 4,000-square metre one in Ngoc Ha Ward developed by Handico since 2003. Nguyen Trong Dong, Director of Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said, “We have proposed that the city withdraw land from the two delayed real estate projects in Ba Dinh District for school and cultural housing projects. The project was assigned to the investor in 1999, but, to date, it has been no groundbreaking, he added. Some investors had financial difficulties due to the economic downturn, but many intended to keep land. The vice chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, Vu Hong Khanh said, “Any violator will be strictly punished.” However, in reality, settlement of the issue remains very slow. The number of revoked projects is modest compared to the found violations. Pham Sy Liem, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Construction Association, said many enterprises tried to seek authorities’ approval for their projects, but due to their limited capacity, they left projects idle. “It is due to both the irresponsibility of investors and the lax management of authorities,” Liem noted. Source: Tien Phong, dtinews